With an eye on the future, Station Casinos has upgraded its bingo game at its Santa Fe Station casino to include electronic bingo technology.
In space that was previously occupied by the Revolver, a bar and country nightclub, on Wednesday, the Summerlin, Nevada-based company launched its new 10,000 square foot bingo hall, according to the Las Vegas Review-Journal.
The company, one of four that dominate the local casino market in Las Vegas, operates nine of the 23 bingo centers in Southern Nevada. Santa Fe Station’s 350-seat bingo hall now stands out among them with its technological innovations and upgrades that include enhanced sound and lighting systems, mix of round and traditional long tables, and upgraded seating. Each of the tables puts every player within close proximity of USB charging stations or electrical outlets and has a view of 30 television screens or a 12 x 15-foot video wall.
Lori Nelson, spokeswoman for Station Casinos, said, “Bingo is in our DNA so we’re pretty serious about serving our players well,” according to the news agency. The company, that was founded by Frank Fertitta, Jr., opened the Bingo Palace in 1976 and is where it first launched bingo. That locals property is now the Palace Station.
Upgrades to the bingo hall, which is slightly smaller than the old room, also include private restrooms for players, a glass-enclosed smoking area, separate bar and food display, and a VIP area that can be reserved for special events or parties. Other changes include Xtreme Bingo, which launched in the bingo room at 11pm Friday and Saturday sessions and features mood lighting and music provided by DJs and is marketed to younger players. The new room at the Santa Fe casino will also be a part of the $600,000 Big Bingo Weekend the company hosts twice a year where players from the Palace, Boulder, and Texas Station properties compete.
Bingo players who prefer the traditional style of the game over the electronic version can still enjoy the paper game at its Fiesta Henderson and Rancho properties.
Similar upgrades could be made by the company at its other properties, said Nelson, if the response at Santa Fe Station is good, according to the local news agency.
The company has been keeping busy since it announced that it would be returning to the stock market and in April, Red Rock Resorts, Inc. (RRR), the rebranded parent company which owns a portion of Station Casinos, went public on the NASDAQ Stock Exchange. The following month, the company announced its plan to acquire the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas for $312.5 million and finalized the sale in October and is also planning a major expansion for its Palace Station property.